Lockable electric power cord adapter

Abstract

A lockable electric power cord adapter has a unitary housing containing male plug blade receiving member therein wherein each blade receiving member has a pivotable locking member mounted thereon. The blade receiving member has a hole therein for allowing a barbed end of the locking member to pass therethrough and engage a hole in the male plug blade in the locking position. An actuator has actuating lugs thereon which pivot the locking members to an unlocked position when the actuating member is pushed against a biasing spring.

1. A lockable power cord adapter comprising:
 a one piece substantially hollow housing of insulating material having an open end and a closed end, a first wall, second, third, and fourth side walls;  
 said closed end being configured as a female plug for receiving male plug blades, each having a hole extending therethrough, a grounding pin opening, and a bore therein for receiving an assembly bolt;  
 a cap member mounted in said open end and being configured as a male plug having first and second plug blades and a grounding pin extending therefrom;  
 said first and second plug blades each being as extension of a plug blade receiving member of conductive material mounted in said closed end;  
 a pivotable locking member pivotally mounted on each of said plug blade receiving members, said locking members having a locked and unlocked position; and  
 a movable actuator slidably mounted on said first wall for pivoting said locking members between their locked and unlocked positions.  
 
     
     
       2. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first wall has a longitudinal slot therein in which said actuator slides. 
     
     
       3. A lockable power cord adapter claimed in  claim 2  wherein said cap member has a stop member adapted to fit within said slot at an end thereof to limit the extent of movement of said actuator. 
     
     
       4. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said cap member has a spring locating member extending into said housing. 
     
     
       5. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 4  wherein a coil spring extends between said spring locating member and said actuator for applying longitudinal bias to said actuator. 
     
     
       6. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each of said locking members is an elongated member having a proximal end and a distal end, and a stop member located therebetween. 
     
     
       7. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said proximal end of each said locking member has a barbed projection thereon. 
     
     
       8. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 7  wherein each said plug blade receiving member has an opening therein through which said barbed projection extends in the locking position. 
     
     
       9. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said barbed projection is adapted to reside in the hole in the plug blade being locked in the locking position. 
     
     
       10. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 6  wherein each said locking member has a sloped ramp surface extending from said distal end downward toward said stop member. 
     
     
       11. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said actuator has first and second actuating lugs each adapted to bear against the ramp surface to cause each said locking member to pivot to an unlocked position when said actuator is moved toward said cap member. 
     
     
       12. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 11  wherein, in the unlocked position, each of the barbed projections is rotated clear of the hole in the plug blade and the opening in its associated plug blade receiving member. 
     
     
       13. A lockable cord adapter as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said locking members are of conductive material. 
     
     
       14. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said second and third side walls each has a strap holding slotted member extending from the surface thereof. 
     
     
       15. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 14  and further including a power cord having a female plug receiving member thereon adapted to receive said plug blades of said adapter;
 a strap retaining member mounted on said cord adjacent an end of said female plug receiving member;  
 at least one strap extending from said strap holding slotted member to said strap retaining member; and  
 a strap locking member for locking said strap to said strap retaining member.  
 
     
     
       16. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said strap locking member comprises a split sleeve member and a split clamping collar member surrounding said sleeve wherein the strap to be locked passes between said sleeve member and said collar member. 
     
     
       17. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said collar member has an adjusting member for tightening said collar about said sleeve to cause said sleeve to grip the cord, thereby anchoring said adapter in place. 
     
     
       18. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said collar member has first and second parts adapted to be keyed together to form a tapered bore in said collar. 
     
     
       19. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said tapered bore surrounds said split sleeve. 
     
     
       20. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said split sleeve is tapered. 
     
     
       21. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 20  wherein each said first and second parts of said collar member has a pocket therein through which said strap passes. 
     
     
       22. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 21  wherein each of said pockets contains a strap locking member therein. 
     
     
       23. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said strap locking members are integral with said collar members. 
     
     
       24. A lockable power cord adapter as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first and second plug blades and said grounding pin are wired to a power cord and fixed in place by an overmolded member. 
     
     
       25. A lockable power cord adapter comprising a unitary substantially hollow housing having an open end and a closed end;
 said closed end having first and second bosses extending into the interior of the housing, each boss having a rectangular opening therein for receiving a blade receiving member and a third boss extending into the interior of said housing for receiving a grounding member, whereby said closed end constitutes a female receptacle for receiving a male electrical plug;  
 said closed end further having a fourth bored boss extending into the interior of said housing for receiving an assembly bolt therein;  
 a cap member mounted to said open end, said cap member having fifth and sixth bosses extending into the interior of said housing, each boss having a rectangular opening for receiving a shank of said blade receiving member;  
 said cap member having a bore for holding a grounding member;  
 said cap member further having an elongated bored boss for receiving the assembly bolt therein;  
 first and second blade receiving members mounted in said first and second bosses, each of said blade receiving members having a shank portion extending through one of said fifth and sixth bosses whereby the exterior of said cap is configured as a male plug;  
 each of said blade receiving members having a flared end portion with a hole therein;  
 a locking member pivotally mounted on each of said blade receiving members, each locking member having a barbed end portion adapted to pass through the hole in the blade receiving member to which it is mounted;  
 each of said locking member having a sloped camming surface thereon and a stop member projecting therefrom;  
 an actuator slidably mounted in said slit and longitudinally movable with respect thereto, said actuator having first and second actuating lugs depending therefrom and adapted to move between said camming surface and said stop member on each of said locking members;  
 a spring for biasing said lugs against said stop members with said actuator in a forward position wherein said barbed ends of said locking members project through said holes in the flared ends of the blade receiving members; and  
 said lugs on said actuator being adapted to bear against said camming surfaces when said actuator is moved toward the closed end of said housing to pivot said locking member barbs out of said holes.